The projected 13 percent decrease is caused in part from ongoing trade disputes with China, he said. About 25 percent of U.S. sorghum exported to China is grown in Texas, accounting for about $209 million annually.

“Many Texas producers are concerned that the trade dispute could cut up to $1 per bushel off of domestic prices,” Trostle said. “We send so much sorghum to China, the sooner the dispute is resolved the better.”

Farmers are also hesitant to plant sorghum due to sugarcane aphid infestations in 2014 and 2015, Trostle said. But plant hybrids, earlier planting dates, proper crop monitoring, treatments and beneficial insects have helped mitigate the impact of the pest.

“Their impact has been sporadic the last few years,” he said. “Around 25 percent of Texas sorghum acres are planted with sugarcane aphid-tolerant varieties, and growers are more vigilant in their monitoring. That has reduced their impact to the point some producers believe we have them whipped. But producers still need to be wary because Mother Nature can humble you.”

South Texas sorghum plants have reached at least the six-to-seven leaf stage with some fields flowering, Trostle said.

Sugarcane aphids have been identified in Johnsongrass along the Coastal Bend, he said, but no reports have been made in sorghum fields. The crop has mostly emerged in Central Texas, and High Plains planting is expected to begin soon.

“This is one of those one in eight years or one in 10 years that makes farmers eager to get their summer crop in the ground,” Trostle said.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Misinformation about the killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests is spreading rapidly online, adding to the chaos as nationwide demonstrations enter their second week.

The conspiracy theories range from claims that Floyd’s arrest was staged to others saying he is still alive, despite video evidence that the 46-year-old unarmed black man died in police custody after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for about eight minutes.

Other unfounded claims say Floyd’s death was part of an international conspiracy to destabilize the U.S., while some allege that former officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged with third-degree murder, is an actor.

Twitter has been fertile ground for many of the unfounded claims. A search for the phrase “George Floyd is not dead” brings up dozens of results on the platform.

One account tweeted over the weekend that “George Floyd’s execution is part of a Russian military intelligence operation.” The post has over 4,400 likes and 1,800 re…

The Amarillo Police Department Homicide Unit has completed the investigation into the recent shooting death of a 7 year old child. It was determined that a 9-year old child burglarized a home in the neighborhood, obtaining the gun. A short time after the burglary, the 9-year old shot the 7-year old victim. Since the shooter in this case is under the age of 10, no criminal charges can be filed according to Texas state law. There is no evidence an adult made the firearm available to any of the children. The child death investigation will be presented to the 47th District Attorney’s Office for review per APD policy. Last Wednesday evening, Amarillo police officers were called to the 3900 block of Paradise Avenue on a sick person laying in the roadway. As officers were responding, updates came in that the victim had possibly been shot. A 7 year old child was located in the street at that location, suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was transported to an area hospital later died.

Pope Francis condemned racism and called for national reconciliation in the U.S. in his weekly Wednesday address, saying street violence is “self-defeating.”

The pope addressed the protests rocking the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, saying he has ’’witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest.”

Pope Francis called Floyd’s death “tragic” and said he was praying for “all those who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism,” The Associated Press and Reuters reported. But he also called for “the national reconciliation and peace for which we yearn.”

“My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life,” Francis said, according to Reuters.

“At the same time, we have to recognize that the violence of recent nights is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost,” he said.